CNN puts University spin-out in the spotlight

Date posted

13 April 2016

11:00

Last updated

21 November 2016

World-renowned broadcaster CNN recently visited our Sighthill campus to highlight the innovative work by University spin-out company Celtic Renewables.

Presenter Nick Glass and his team visited as part of the broadcaster’s Make, Create, Innovate programme, its flagship science and technology series that tells the stories behind the inventions and technological breakthroughs that are reshaping our world.

The episode, entitled “The New Renewables”, was broadcast repeatedly around the world and shone a spotlight on the innovation behind Celtic Renewables, and on the man behind the innovation - company founder and President Prof Martin Tangney.

The CNN film crew spent two days filming in various locations in Edinburgh and the surrounding area, including The Scotch Whisky Experience, Kingsbarns Distillery and Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus, home of Celtic Renewables.

While at Sighthill, Nick Glass met with Prof Tangney and the Celtic Renewables scientists who are striving to revive a century-old technology to create a new biofuel using the byproducts from the whisky industry.

The company celebrated an exceptional year in 2015, producing the world’s first samples of an advanced biofuel – biobutanol – from the production residues of the Scottish malt whisky industry.

Prof Tangney said: “This international exposure shows the tremendous interest in what we are trying to accomplish at Celtic Renewables, but the interest from CNN also reflects the global attraction that Scotland holds and we are proud to be playing our small part in shaping the country’s future.”

This international exposure shows the tremendous interest in what we are trying to accomplish at Celtic Renewables. It also reflects the global attraction that Scotland holds.